Upon Further Review 2011: Offense vs Michigan State

Formation notes: Nothing new save the Denard Jet formation moving back to shotgun.

Substitution notes: Almost all Smith at RB, with cameos from Toussaint and Hopkins playing FB when one was needed, whether that was out of the I or in a two-back shotgun set. No Barnum; Mealer came in for Lewan after Gholston judo chopped him off the field for a couple plays.

You know about the QB rotation; WRs were the usual.

Argh? Argh.

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

M20

1

10

Shotgun twins twin TE

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Pass

PA Flat

Hemingway

5 (Pen +5)

They are running curl/flat here but Robinson doesn't have time to let the corner truly pick one as the LBs are flying up hard into gaps into the line. This would be wide open for nice yardage if it was a slant. As it is the zoning corner doesn't drop back far enough to give up the edge and can come up to tackle. Pickleman offsides anyway. (CA, 3, protection N/A)

M25

1

5

I-form

2

1

2

4-3 over

Pass

Throwback screen

Gallon

1

MSU shows man as Gallon motions across the formation. Michigan runs an iso fake that sucks in the backside LB, who's blitzing, and Denard runs the throwback. Lewan(-2) whiffs on the corner and Schofield was late getting out because of traffic; two guys converge for no gain. (CA, 3, screen) RUN-: Lewan(2)

M26

2

4

Shotgun jet

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Jet QB power

Gardner

5

Jet fake pulls a safety down and forces the other guy to go one-high. Michigan pulls to the backside; Koger(+0.5) kicks out Gholston as Lewan(+1) and Huyge(+0.5) club Worthy to the ground. Smith leads into the WLB as Omameh pulls around into... also the WLB(-2). MLB is sitting unblocked in a big hole; Gardner(+1) hops outside and gets the edge thanks to Hemingway(+1) sustaining a block downfield. RPS+1; if Omameh makes a block on the MLB this could be a big chunk.

RUN+: Koger(0.5), Huyge(0.5), Lewan, Hemingway, Gardner

RUN-: Omameh(2)

M31

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Zone read dive

Smith

9

Just the basic zone read. Worthy fights outside and upfield of Huyge(+0.5), which is not what you're supposed to do. Because of that there's a big cutback Smith(+1) hits; it also looks like Michigan might have creased the frontside but why risk it. Smith cuts back; Omameh(+1) gets a pop on the MLB and Smith gets to the safeties.

RUN+: Smith(0.5), Huyge(0.5), Omameh

RUN-:

M40

2

1

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Zone read dive

Smith

26

Double A gap blitz on which they time the snap based on Molk's head motion. Molk(-1) goes down, comes back up, and immediately snaps so he has no concept of the blitz and moves out on a DT, which lets a LB right through. Denard is looking at a containing DE so hands off. Smith(+1) breaks the tackle from the over-aggressive WLB; Lewan(+2) gets a great seal on Worthy, and Schofield(+1) kicks the MLB. Once Smith is past the line there isn't anyone on the second level and he grabs a big gain. Koger(+1) adjusted to kick a DB once he noticed there isn't anyone on the second level. RPS -1. Picture paged.

RUN+: Lewan(2), Smith(2), Schofield, Koger

RUN-: Molk(2)

O34

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

PA TE seam

Koger

Inc (Pen +5)

Not so aggressive is the WLB this time; he drops into coverage as Koger tries to release. Robinson has the slot guy wide open and isn't pressured as he releases the ball but he still goes to the covered guy; I guess he might have to get this out fast because linemen are getting downfield on their blocks. Still, pass to covered guy instead of open guy. (BR, 0, protection N/A) LB interferes and is flagged. This is the Lewan-Gholston judo chop play, which is not flagged.

O29

1

10

Shotgun twins twin TE

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Run

QB power

Robinson

0

Mealer in at RT as Huyge flips. They run at him. Weird. He loses his down block(-2) to a spin move and that guy gets in the hole; Schofield comes up to hit him but there's nowhere to go. Robinson tries to cut back, at which point Koger also gets his block spun through; wasn't going anywhere anyway. RUN-: Mealer(2), Koger

O29

2

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

PA Flat

Hemingway

9

Same play as the first one; this time Michigan gets a man coverage look so when Hemingway breaks for the flat there is no one to hit him on the catch. He turns it up for some YAC. This was wobbly and upfield because the DE got a fingertip on it. (CA, 3, protection 1/1)

O20

3

1

Maryland I

2

3

0

Base 4-3

Penalty

Delay

--

-5

This play never happened but they got most of the way through it before they whistled it dead, so you could see that it was a power counter to the iso look NW blew up that would have worked, possibly for a touchdown, thanks in large part to Koger annihilating Gholston on the edge; dude got pancaked. The linebackers were gone and Toussaint would have been one on one with a safety for six. Oh well. RPS +1? Sure.

O25

3

6

Shotgun 2back TE

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Run

Speed option

Smith

3

WLB overhanging on the weak side. Michigan goes option and gets the playside sealed except Omameh(-1) getting out late from his block, allowing the MLB to flow unimpeded. Robinson cuts upfield of the overhang guy, has to pitch when the MLB comes up, and Smith is not fast enough to get the edge.

RUN+: Molk, Huyge

RUN-: Omameh, Schofield(0.5)

O22

4

3

Field goal

-

-

-

Field goal

Run

Fake FG

Dileo

3

This is actually a pass. It's not wide open so Dileo quickly decides to hit it up, just picking up the first. I'm not going to grade this for obvious reasons.

O19

1

10

I-Form

2

1

2

4-3 over

Run

Pitch sweep

Toussaint

4

Koger standing up a little outside the tackle. MSU brings the corner down; Roundtree points him out but I don't think Denard sees him. Michigan motions in Hemingway; the FB is offset to the strongside, this screams outside run, they run outside. Lewan(+1) seals Worthy. Koger(-0.5) does a mediocre job on the DE, eventually getting a crease but giving ground and heading outside, delaying the point at which Toussaint can hit it up. Hemingway(+1) takes out the playside LB; Hopkins gets a push on the edge guy; MLB scrapes from the interior to tackle. No one on him; Schofield(-0.5) was leading through and ran through to the safety instead of peeling.

RUN+: Lewan, Hemingway

RUN-: Koger(0.5), Schofield(0.5)

O15

2

6

I-Form Big

2

2

1

Base 4-3

Pass

Scramble

Robinson

15

Surprise, except no not surprise. Two man route, one of them Hopkins, both covered. Molk(-2) thinks he has help behind him, which he does not because of an MSU corner blitz, and lets a DT through to pressure Robinson. Molk manages to recover to shove the guy past after he reaches out to tackle, and then Robinson's scrambling around and doing his Robinson thing. (SCR, N/A, protection 0/2, Molk)

RUN+: Robinson(3)

RUN-:

Drive Notes: Touchdown, 7-0, 8 min 1st Q. Goodbye offense.

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

M37

1

10

Shotgun 2TE twins

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Run

Sprint counter

Smith

-2

Man... WTF. Lewan(-2) lets DE inside of him on the playside and Molk(-2) lets the WLB upfield of him without getting a hat on him. That's inexplicably bad play from our best two OL. Schofield is pulling around and shoves Rush, allowing Smith the cutback that isn't there because of Molk's screwup. Line opened up big time on this and Michigan just didn't block it. RUN-: Molk(2), Lewan(2)

M35

2

12

Shotgun 2back TE

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Pass

Rollout out

Gardner

Inc

Gardner, in, play fake, rollout, pulling Schofield gets a block and the pocket is decent but everyone deep is covered in man; Gardner throws to Odoms anyway and it's broken up. Insert usual rant about rolling away half the field here. The checkdown to Hopkins was there for at least a few and possibly a rumble up the sideline. Everyone's Rex Grossman. (BR, 0, protection 2/2)

M34

3

12

Shotgun trips TE

1

1

3

Okie press

Pass

Post

Roundtree

Inc

Another half roll doesn't get anyone open quickly and finds pressure from the backside; Robinson has to step up and chucks a bomb to Roundtree. Roundtree has a step but the pass isn't anywhere near him. (IN, 0, protection ½, team -1)

Drive Notes: Punt, 7-7, 4 min 1st Q

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

M6

1

10

Shotgun empty

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Slant

Hemingway

29

With an interior blitz two of the three guys to this side of the field are open. This does not include Hemingway. LB jumps the route and is headed for a pick six; Denard throws it high and it's over his hand and caught. Hemingway picks up a big chunk of YAC. I cannot condone this throw even though the result is good—the other two guys are open. (BR, 2, protection 1/1)

M35

1

10

Shotgun trips TE

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Zone read dive

Smith

0

Double A gap blitz again. Michigan never checks. This play cannot work with two LBs roaring up the field at the snap. Molk(-1) goes to double a DT because Michigan does not realize this is coming; Omameh can't get over to block the LB, and Smith gets eaten. (RPS -2) This is not getting out-toughed, it's out-stupiding MSU. RUN-: Molk

M35

2

10

Shotgun jet

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Reverse scramble

Gallon

8 + 15 pen

Intended to be a pass but never develops since Worthy got way upfield. That wasn't a good play by Worthy, he's just overrunning everything like whoah, but it means Gallon has to start making evasive maneuvers before he can even consider passing. Because it's a pass no one got downfield to block guys and MSU folk are charging from the inside. Gallon heads out to a couple of guys hanging out near the numbers, points at them to block, and picks up some yardage. We get stupid MSU personal foul #2 (first one was a horsecollar on special teams) afterwards.

O42

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

PA Flat

Koger

4

Not the jet package with a WR lined up behind Robinson; still jet motion as Robinson heads for the 2WR side. Michigan runs a play action rollout off this; two guys in Gardner's face with no support so he has to dump it off. Four yards. (CA, 3, protection N/A)

O38

2

6

I-Form

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Penalty

Offsides

--

5

Michigan goes under center for a hard count and Worthy jumps it.

O33

2

1

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Zone read dive

Smith

-3

Pickleman slants under Molk(-2) and destroys the play. RUN-: Molk(2)

O36

3

4

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Slant

Gallon

Inc

DB runs Gallon's route for him and breaks it up. Excellent play. Not sure if Denard should get blamed here or not. (MA, 0, protection 1/1)

Drive Notes: Punt, 7-7, 12 min 2nd Q

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

M32

1

10

I-Form

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Pass

PA FB Flat

Hopkins

Inc

Corner blitz catches Michigan running a play that has the QB facing backwards. This is a terrible omen. Everybody in the world is open here but it doesn't matter because it's all Denard can do to get the pass off without getting sacked. It is wide of Hopkins in the flat. (PR, 0, protection N/A, RPS -1)

M32

2

10

Shotgun 2-back

2

0

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Screen

Smith

Inc (Pen +15)

Toussaint runs a flare to one side that Robinson fakes to before coming back to Smith on the other side. I think Smith got caught up trying to get out of the backfield because the MSU DL is slanting hard. He has to wait on Worthy and by the time he gets out he finds himself too far inside. He is well inside the OL pulling out, which means the WLB can hit him without worrying about those guys. The throw is hard and inside; Smith drops it. (MA, 2, screen) Worthy gets a derp penalty.

M47

1

10

Shotgun 2TE twins

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Run

QB power

Robinson

5

Denard takes a counter step that gets the MLB and SLB. Lewan(+1) and Schofield(+1) blow out Pickelman big time, but Omameh(-1) is too freaking slow to get to the vast hole; Denard is running past him as he nears the LOS. MLB unblocked but because of the counter step Denard can burst outside for a good gain thanks to Koger(+1) kicking out Rush well.

RUN+: Robinson, Lewan, Koger, Schofield

RUN-: Omameh

O48

2

5

Shotgun 2TE

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Run

QB power

Robinson

3

Another double A gap blitz timed on Molk putting his head down. No check. Michigan's running power. Omameh pulls into the WLB and has no chance to get playside; Schofield(+1) does a good job to kick the MLB. Lewan(-1) loses Worthy to the outside; there is a cutback but WLB is bearing down and the safety attacking no longer has a blocker with an angle on him. RPS -1.

O45

3

2

Shotgun 2TE twins

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Run

Speed option

Robinson

2

Late move with two guys on the backside of the line; State slants under and sends linebackers playside. Koger just manages to push Gholston past the play; Robinson has to circle around, giving some time. Omameh(-1) failed to read the situation and releases downfield into no players as Huyge has no chance of dealing with backside DT. Lewan(+1) gets a driving block on the WLB that gives Robinson just enough room for the first down.

RUN+: Lewan, Robinson

RUN-: Omameh

O43

1

10

Shotgun 2back TE

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Pass

Fly

Hemingway

Inc

Robinson overthrows Hemingway by ten yards, in part because he got tangled up with the DB, who fell and knocked Hemingway off stride. Still way long even without that. Koger was open by yards shorter. (BR, 0, protection 2/2)

O43

2

10

Shotgun 2-back TE

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Pass

Fly

Hemingway

Inc

Gardner. He throws deep to a somewhat open Hemingway, missing; he did not see Hopkins blitheringly wide open for an easy touchdown. A better throw here and this is still good; wind problematic. (BR, 0, protection 2/2, RPS +2) This was the play to punish these linebackers and safeties and for the love of God, why isn't Gardner looking for Hopkins first?

O43

3

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Okie press

Pass

Random heave

--

Inc

Corner blitz is not recognized by Smith(-2), forcing Robinson to scramble out of the pocket. At this point he should just run, maybe set Michigan up with a makeable fourth down. Instead he makes a crazy heave that three MSU players have a better shot at than anyone on Michigan. One of them drops an easy INT. (BRX, 0, protection 0/2, Smith -2)

Drive Notes: Punt, 7-7, 6 min 2nd Q

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

M46

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Pass

PA out

Grady

Inc

You know, if you're going to run three wide you have to make them respect the slot—here three wide is just one fewer blocker since MSU doesn't care. And as I type this Michigan does make them respect the slot, running the pop pass out they've run a few times already. Denard throws it wide. Probably 6-8 if accurate (IN, 0, protection 1/1)

M46

2

10

Shotgun jet

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Jet sweep

Robinson

15

Linebackers blitz up the middle, but this time they tip it early—just a screwup as Molk didn't put his head down yet. As a result Michigan can actually block these guys. Omameh(+1) cuts Allen; Molk(+1) moves over to wall of Bullough. DT playside falls in all the wreckage; Smith(+2) annihilates Rush with a cut block, sending Denard into acres of space. Lewan is running downfield to try to get a block; safety fills and Robinson tries to cut back right into Lewan's path. Safety manages to get a diving arm tackle on Robinson. Left a bunch of yards on the field here.

RUN+: Molk, Omameh, Robinson, Smith(2)

RUN-:

O39

1

10

Shotgun 2-back

2

1

2

4-3 over

Pass

Post

Roundtree

Inc

Corner blitz is picked up. Lewan shoves the guy out into the flare Toussaint is running, which dissuades Denard from throwing that, his first read. Found the open spot and it was not open. Robinson has a good pocket and starts stepping up into it in case there is pressure from behind; as DTs converge on him he throws a short post to Roundtree that's just outside and is dropped. I may have complained about this not being a run but I was wrong, Robinson was right to throw here. The throw was too far inside, though. (IN, 1, protection 3/3)

O39

2

10

Shotgun trips TE

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run?

QB iso/seam

Robinson

2

You know that short pass to run thing from Smart Football? This is it. M has a run play on and is optioning Bullough. He stays inside, so throw, but Denard has lost the plot. He panics a bit because Worthy is slanting but that's not relevant, just get the ball out. He doesn't, running outside, stopping, and coming back under to the gap that was already there; blocking angles killed he picks up two. Either hit it up in the big seam or throw it. Don't do this. (BR, N/A, protection N/A)

O37

3

8

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Okie off

Pass

Hitch

Gallon

Inc

Four man rush; Michigan picks it up, though Schofield gets bulled back a bit. Robinson pumps, then airmails a hitch into the sidelines. Not a first down if accurate but definitely in go-for-it territory. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)

Drive Notes: Punt, 7-7, 2 min 2nd Q

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

M27

1

10

Shotgun trips

1

0

4

Base 4-3

Run

Zone read dive

Smith

2

Worthy slants under Schofield(-2), which makes Smith think he's got an alley but Worthy comes around from behind to tackle, forcing him upfield into Bullough for a minimal gain. RUN-: Schofield(2)

M29

2

8

Shotgun twins twin TE

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Pass

Dig

Roundtree

Inc

Play action and max protect; two man route with Smith leaking out late. Robinson has forever and finds Roundtree breaking open for a big gain; airmailed. AAAAAAAARGH (IN, 0, protection 2/2)

M29

3

8

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Okie press

Pass

Scramble

Robinson

5 + 15 pen

Huyge(-2) smoked by the blitzing Allen, Robinson has to roll out and scramble as a result. Omameh(-1) got bowled over backwards and Schofield(-1) let a stunt through; this was a comprehensive crapfest. (PR, 0, protection 0/4) Gholston does the helmet rip after.

M49

1

10

Shotgun 2back TE

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Pass

Sack

--

-9

Double blitz off the backside and a late developing play; Robinson has no chance. (PR, 0, protection N/A, RPS -2)

M40

2

19

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

QB draw

Robinson

11

MSU stunting; Schofield(+1) comes off Worthy and shoves Gholston past the play. This does force Robinson away from lead blocking but with the SLB dropping into coverage there is no one to make him pay and he runs back to said blocking. Koger and Molk both got good, extended downfield blocks.

RUN+: Robinson, Schofield, Molk, Koger

RUN-:

O49

3

8

Shotgun trips bunch

1

0

4

Okie off

Pass

Improv

Roundtree

15

Nice pocket momentarily despite a blitz but Smith(-1) gets shoved back and doesn't cut Allen and a stunt starts coming through so Robinson has to roll. He does so and heaves one that Roundtree manages to get up and grab as he continued his route across the field. (MA, 2, protection ½, Smith -1)

O34

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Zone read dive

Smith

2

Koger as an H-back. He pulls backside. Huyge(-1) fails to get around and seal the backside DT despite that guy moving backside as the play starts and Omameh helping. Smith(-1) still has a lane up the middle he might be able to hit; instead he bounces to the frontside of the play, where SLB is sitting unblocked because he's loitering around the LOS without having to care about the slot. Bubble grumble.

O36

2

8

Shotgun 2back TE

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Run

Hitch

Gallon

Inc

Double A gap blitz. Molk whiffs so both guys get up the middle of the field; Denard has to start backing up and chucks a duck well short of an open Gallon. (IN, 0, protection 0/3, Molk -1, team -2, RPS -2)

O36

3

8

Shotgun 4-wide

1

0

4

Okie off

Pass

In

Grady

10 (Pen -10)

Huyge(-2) destroyed by Allen, who times the snap (RPS -1) and gets in. Huyge holds. Robinson rolls out and manages to throw back across his body to Grady on an in route that would be a first down, though he only got the opportunity because of the hold. (CA+, 3, protection 0/3, Huyge -1, team -2)

O46

3

18

Shotgun 2-back

2

0

3

Okie press

Pass

Post

Grady

Inc

Press man, which is odd, and Denard throws it to an open-ish Grady on a post that would pick up the first. CB gets playside and breaks the pass up—great play. I don't mind the decision or the throw here since it's third and 18. It could work, you have nothing to lose, go for it. (CA, 0, protection 2/2)

Drive Notes: Punt, 7-14, 6 min 3rd Q.

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

O41

1

10

Shotgun 2back TE

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Pass

Angle

Hopkins

Inc

Gardner in; Koger covered. Michigan runs a power fake to play action that MSU has covered because of their playcall; Gholston upfield of Lewan and into Gardner; same thing with SLB getting underneath Toussaint. Gardner has to chuck it to Hopkins, it's yards off. (IN, 0, protection 0/2, Lewan -1, Toussaint -1, RPS -1)

O41

2

10

Shotgun 2-back

2

0

3

Okie off

Run

Speed option

Robinson

2

MSU jumping around in a three man line. Michigan does get them to show the blitz and then they motion Toussaint behind Robinson before the snap—kind of a giveaway. Still, Huyge(-2) is playside of Bullough and just has to release downfield and seal him to make this play; he does not. Smith(+1) slashes Gholston to the ground; Robinson(-1) should pitch as the edge man is too close to him but fakes it and Huyge's guy manages to make the tackle as Robinson can't cut back far enough inside to burst upfield.

RUN+: Smith

RUN-: Robinson, Huyge(2)

O39

3

8

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Okie off

Pass

Sack

--

-7

Huyge(-3) destroyed by Allen on four man rush. Woo third and long; amazing how this got covered up last year. (PR, N/A, protection 0/3, Huyge -3)

Drive Notes: Punt, 7-14, 4 min 3rd Q

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

M20

1

10

Shotgun twins twin TE

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Pass

PA out

Hemingway

Inc

Major shift late sends two guys in on the backside of the play. Robinson throws it to the out; deep slant wide open as well; blitzer leaps to bat it down. Would like Denard to read the coverage and go deeper but this was open-ish and he had three guys in his face quickly. (BA, 0, protection 0/1, team)

M20

2

10

Shotgun 2back TE

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Run

Power off tackle

Toussaint

3

RB power; key here is Norman, the backside LB, immediately shifting playside when he sees the pull.This prevents Lewan from getting a block on him. M opens up the hole as Schofield(+1) gets to the POA in time and blocks Allen; he does not force it back to Bullough and spills it outside so Toussaint is through despite not having a real lead block; Norman scrapes over and tackles. The initial movements of the MSU LBs are much better than those of the M LBs.

RUN+: Schofield, Omameh(0.5)

RUN-:

M23

3

7

Shotgun 4-wide

1

1

3

Okie off

Pass

Deep cross

Roundtree

8 + 15 pen

Four man rush; good protection. Robinson steps up and has his space restricted. He finds Roundtree running his cross past all of the zones to the sideline and hits him as he clears the last LB; his throw is a wobbly duck but it does get there. (CA, 3, protection 2/2) Gholston gets punchy afterwards.

M46

1

10

Shotgun trips

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Penalty

Offsides

--

5

The slight compensation. Three of four MSU DL jump offsides! THREE!

O49

1

5

Shotgun jet

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Jet stretch

Robinson

13

Double A-gap blitz that gets through again one play after a freaking offsides penalty. Come on, people. Come on. Michigan has a playcall on that works against it but barely. Playing with fire. After being burned with fire. Molk(+1) is stepping playside in the bucket fashion; he sees the blitz and peels off to shove Allen; this prevents him from deathsacking Denard in the backfield. Schofield(+1) gets a seal on the playside DT; Smith(+1) kicks out the DE. Lewan has no one to block so he trundles downfield. Robinson is cutting back behind his blocks when Bullough chops him down from behind.

RUN+: Robinson, Schofield, Molk, Smith

RUN-:

O36

1

10

Shotgun twins twin TE

1

2

2

Base 4-3

Run

QB power

Gardner

3

Gardner QB; TE covered. Blocked well; Gardner screws it up. Watson(+1) doubles and then releases into MLB; sealing him. Toussaint(+0.5) kicks out WLB. Koger(-0.5) lets playside DE inside off him but Schofield(+1) is hitting it up quickly and can wall him off; SLB is going to flow down the line to tackle but this is 5-8. Gardner(-1) bounces. This exposes him to the safety and costs Michigan 3-4 yards.

RUN+: Watson, Schofield

RUN-: Gardner, Koger(0.5)

O33

2

7

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

PA Hitch

Roundtree

9

Play action and a zing to the sideline for the first down. Genuinely impressive throw in context. (CA+, 3, protection 2/2)

O24

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

QB iso

Robinson

0

Robinson back in. Omameh(-2) and Molk double Worthy; Omameh does not bucket step around the DT when Molk is blocking down. He's in the hole; Robinson stops and is swallowed. RUN-: Omameh(2)

O24

2

10

I-Form

2

1

2

Base 4-3

Pass

Sack

--

-1

Jesus. S walks down and is obviously blitzing along with WLB. Telegraphed, Michigan checks out of nothing and runs play action they cannot block because the edge guy has to cut the blitzing safety and leaves Gholston alone on the edge. Robinson has no time to deal. RPS -2. (PR, 0, protection N/A) This is Gholston's sack, BTW: unblocked. MSU will not miss him against UW. He's the fifth or sixth best player in their front seven.

O25

3

11

Shotgun empty

1

1

3

Okie off

Pass

Yakety sax

Gardner

-6

Gardner fumbles a perfect snap.

Drive Notes: Punt, 7-21, 12 min 4th Q

Ln

Dn

Ds

O Form

RB

TE

WR

D Form

Type

Play

Player

Yards

O34

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Slant

Roundtree

34

With no deep safety, if a WR breaks a tackle on this route it is six. Robinson zings a deadly accurate pass to Roundtree and 'Tree breaks that tackle; six. Much better route than Gallon's earlier failed slant. (CA+, 3, protection 1/1)

Four man rush is held off and Robinson has plenty of time to throw. He can't find anyone significantly downfield and ends up hitting Hemingway for a few. (CA, 3, protection 2/2)

O35

3

13

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Okie press

Pass

Drag

Koger

12

Omameh(-1) fails to read the play and lets Gholston by him. Smith comes over to pick him up. Everyone else is blocked, so Robinson can move past him in the pocket; he finds Koger open and tosses a duck that almost hits the ground. Koger still has time to turn it up and create fourth and short. (MA, 2, protection ½, Omameh -1)

O23

4

In

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Run

Zone read keeper

Robinson

5

Yet another double A-gap blitz gets straight through, with Molk(-2) failing to read it and letting Allen in. Robinson(+3) appears to make a brilliant improvisation here; there is a contain guy but Robinson sees Allen tackling Smith at the mesh point and yanks the ball out, cutting inside of that tackle and finding space because Omameh(+1) got over to block Bullough; Bullough then falls over the legs of Huyge. Robinson has a crack he uses to get the first down. RPS -2.

O18

1

10

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Yakety sax

Robinson

-1

Fumbled snap.

O19

2

11

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Quick seam

Koger

Inc

Double A-gap. Not perfectly timed so Molk's head is up and he gets a block; Smith(-1) shoulders Bullough but only gets a piece; Robinson has to throw. He has a quick seam to Koger that he misses. May be a timing issue because Koger got chucked coming out, but results based charting. (IN, 0, protection ½, Smith -1)

O19

3

11

Shotgun 3-wide

1

1

3

Base 4-3

Pass

Cross

Gallon

10

Decent time until Omameh(-1) is beaten on a bull rush; Robinson steps around the rusher and he falls. He sets up again and zings a tough throw into a covered Gallon. Gallon brings it in. Q: is this the right spot? Is it where he catches it or where he hits the ground? (DO, 2, protection 1/2, Omameh -1)

O9

4

In

Goal line

2

3

0

Goal line

Pass

Sack

--

-9

DOOM. Hopkins lined up as the deep back and Toussaint the FB. Moore(-3) fails to even get out of his stance on the snap and lets the blitzing LB through untouched, doom. (PR, N/A, protection 0/3, Moore –3, RPS -3)

Is this blood running down my cheeks or have my tears turned to rust waiting for this?

You are a jerk. And apparently a robot. A robotic jerk. So it's rust, I guess.

Are you any calmer about the snap thing?

I am less calm. A full review of the game tape reveals ten(!) of Michigan State's double-A-gap LB blitzes. Plays on which one of the two guys was unblocked into the backfield are bolded:

Smith dodges tackle in backfield, picks up 26.

Zero yard inside zone from Smith

Three yard power from Robinson*

15-yard jet sweep as M picks up blitzers

Incomplete hitch to Gallon as both guys come unblocked up the middle.

13 yard jet stretch (ie: outside zone blocking)

Eight yard sack.

Five yards on fourth and one when Robinson saves Borges's bacon with a brilliant late pull

Quick seam to Koger incomplete as M picks up 1.5 of the linebackers.

DOOM

Michigan picked the blitz up two, maybe three times: on the two jet sweeps and on the second-to-last one. On the first jet sweep they picked it up because MSU screwed up by revealing their blitz before Molk put his head down. On the second one they let a guy through but managed to adjust after he was in the backfield, so I'm being generous(!).

By the time the pick six arrived Michigan had literally seen this blitz nine times and they still had no adjustment to their timing so that Molk would be able to see what was directly in front of him. This was well over half of MSU's penetration and Michigan had no clue what to do with it even deep into the fourth quarter. They did not check out of a single play because they didn't check at all. They didn't run a freeze or attempt to change the timing of the snap after the second quarter.

I mean… when Worthy bowled over Omameh to pick up their third and final offsides call, three of the four DL were across the line.

That is a snap-jumping machine. This was the last time Michigan altered their snap count.

They should have been doing so several times a drive. Not doing so led to all the problems above and made the OL's job very tough in pass protection. This would end up a holding call on Huyge after Denicos Allen shot past him:

No checks, no answers, no ability to address an obvious issue. That was a total failure by the coaching staff.

Now for the tedious disclaimers: I like Borges, I like the coaches, I think MSU fans declaring epic gameday domination for all time based on a single matchup are getting way ahead of themselves. But there is no gray area here.

*[Counting this because Allen shot into the backfield and picked off a pulling guard, FWIW.]

This is fun. Now show me the chart in which Denard Robinson makes angels tear off their wings.

Chart in which Denard Robinson makes angels tear off their wings.

[Hover over column headers for explanation of abbreviation. Screens are in parens.]

Opponent

DO

CA

MA

IN

BR

TA

BA

PR

SCR

DSR

2009, All Of It

1

7

6(2)

3(1)

4

4

-

-

?

44%

Notre Dame

3

25(8)

3(1)

4

1

-

4(1)

2

-

71%

Michigan State

4

14(3)

1

7(1)

1

-

-

2

2

68%

Iowa

1

11(3)

2

3(1)

2

-

1

-

-

64%

Illinois

4

9(1)

1

4

1

3

1(1)

-

-

60%

Purdue

2

12(1)

1

3

1

1

1

3

-

68%

WMU '11

-

6(1)

4

3

1

-

-

-

1

56%

Notre Dame '11

6

7(1)

1

6(1)

5

1

1

1

-

50%

EMU '11

1

10(1)

-

5

1

-

1

1

1

59%

SDSU '11

-

10(2)

-

4

2

1

-

1

-

53%

Minnesota '11

1

13(3)

1

3

1

-

-

-

-

73%

Northwestern '11

4

12(3)

1

7

2

-

-

-

1

59%

MSU '11

1

8(1)

4(1)

6

5

-

1

7

1

40%

Yeah, so that was like putting freshman Denard out there. Note the huge PR number. If he had happy feet he had good reason to have them. The protection metric is incredible in this game.

I mean, where do you go from the above? Michigan was comprehensively annihilated. Denard was awful, Borges was awful, the line was awful, everything was awful. So… yeah, the players shoulder a lot of the blame. Borges got guys open with frequency only to see them ignored.

What happened to Omameh?

Michigan pulled him in this game, seemingly to prove once and for all that for whatever reason he can't pull. He's a light, quick lineman who gets to the hole slightly slower than Tom Harmon, who is dead:

Combining him with the lightning-quick Robinson is not so good. This is frustrating because last year he was a killer scooping dudes with Molk and heading to the second level. This year he looks like a guy who'd be benched if there was a plausible backup. Chalk it up to transition costs.

Should there have even been a fourth and one?

I'm not sure. Are they supposed to spot it where you catch the ball or where you touch the ground? If it's on the catch they screwed up the spot. If it's where the ball is when you get a foot down they are relatively close.

I'm guessing it's the latter, because that's where they put the ball.

PRANCING DRYAD IN A CAN OF MUSTARD GOING LALALALALALALA

Yes, yes.

Heroes?

Michael Schofield. I guess the receivers didn't drop anything.

Goats?

Literally everyone else.

What does it mean for Purdue and beyond?

It means we have to change our snap counts, figure out some new ways to run the ball, and hope like hell this is by far the worst game of Denard's career.

I always thought that in a play like this, where the boundaries are not a consideration, you were supposed to be marked down where your forward momentum stopped (i.e. where Gallon caught the ball a half yard past the sticks). Hoke should have challenged the spot irregardless.

Also, how do you go a whole game without ever checking into a screen or slant when they double A-gap blitz 10 times?! My only football experience is freaking EA video games and even I know that. dfbkdfmb ,mcdfbn lfb

Are the reason there are no checks because they are "built in" to the offense? Like the pick six was supposed to be a slant, there was no signal, the receiver is supposed to know. Is this considered a check? Other teams use hand signals for the hot read, have we done this at all?

The snap count has been a problem against MSU for multiple years. It should have been fixed in game. The players should have been able to relay it to the coaches or even do something about it themselves by varying the count or the timing of the shotgun snap. I would think this is something they would pick up on after gettting beaten for the fourth or fith time....but nine come on.

Lets hope they address the problem. Why it wasn't addressed before or during the game is beyond me.

But sometimes coaches don't want to overload kids with too many things to think about. It would make sense if this was one of those times, given new offense, first road game, possible new plays, etc. Remember GMAT not even wanting to adjust for the bubble screen until halftime against NW.

I was against the Hoke hire (which I happily reversed on long ago), so I was almost rooting against the guy at the time, but I remember that SDSU bowl game vs. Air Force. I wanted to see flaws, but I remember noting that they were a very well coached team. I think we can safely chalk this up to not wanting to overload.

For me, this conservative approach is preferable to 2010 PSU, where everybody on the team played a different position in a scheme they weren't running anymore.

We have to remember that this is year one of the Hoke regime, not year four of the RR regime (I know everyone will be surprised at this news). Hoke & Co. still have to work on foundational things, and this isn't the fourth straight year that the snap count issue has existed under this coaching staff...I grant that changing up the snap could be considered foundational, but I don't know enough about coaching to make that judgment.

I wasn't one of the guys on the blog who before the season started said they were most impressed by Touissant and wanted to see him in. But after watching him play I just don't understand the little use of him at all. Too me he looks, not just a bit better, a lot better of a runner than Smith. Tougher to bring down, makes better cuts. I love Smith, but he seems perfect to me as what he was suppsed to be as the season started--the third down and change of pace guy. I am mystified as what what the coaches apparently (don't) see in Fitz. I would run him 20 times against Purdue, and would have have the same at MSU. Especially given the coaches stated desire to see one RB carry it 20 times. the only thing I can think is that maybe his pass protection is not so good, otherwise I just don't get it.

I think we need to reevaluate everyones play based on the snap count fiasco and the missed reads.

I still don't think we should have passed that much, but maybe Borges didn't have a labotomy before the game. A lot of open guys if guys followed their assignments.

Hard to fathom what happened to Molk. You would have thought after he was burned on 1 or 2 of those blitzes he would have changed things up. You would have thought the offensive coaches would have got with him after the 1st drive. Denard? The other lineman? It's just hard to comprehend. In 09 with a freshmen Tate and a bunch of other guys who barely knew where they needed to stand and the coaches just trying to get the guys to learn a few base plays it was bad coaching but somewhat understandable. This? Does not compute.

shows how dominant the O-line is. Snap count issue sure. Throw a tight end to block or a fb to pick up a blitz. I like Omameh, but holy jeeeesssus your slow. Your right though bodogblog! Down by 7 with less then 5 minutes to go on the road, still had a chance to win. The team is good, just have to be consistent.

that Michigan may be much improved in certain areas (pass defense mainly), it has a long way to go yet. Michigan is not a bad football team, they're just hovering around the "average-good" area right now. Long way from being a Big Ten title contender IMO. The Wolverine offensive line should have been a strength this year, but they're really struggling again at mid-season.

While I believe that Michigan State is a good football team, they have many flaws that haven't really improved since the Notre Dame game, particularly on defense as a result of their blitzing strategy. MSU's secondary is really awful, and it's such a shame that they were never challenged by Michigan in this game. Wolverine receivers were wide open on so many occasions.

I'm sure the Wisconsin game will reveal this to a greater extent since the Badgers have a very good defense, a towering OL, Al Toon's son, the best RB tandem in the league, and of course Russell Wilson.

I think you'll see less blitzing this weekend vs. Wisky. MSU really dialed up the blitzing the past two games (OSU and U-M). That double-A gap blitz, for example, is one of their bread-and-butter plays out of their base D, but you won't usually see them run it more than 2-3 times a game. Against OSU they sold out to stop the run, then simply blitzed Miller/Bauserman to death when they realized they could have their way with OSU's O-Line (which was the biggest surprise in that game).

That said, Wilson will kill MSU with his arm if they leave the corners to play man coverage all day. They're going to have to take some chances if Wisky establishes the run game right from the start, but I wouldn't expect much beyond a base 4-3 with some form of zone coverage on the first few drives.

Tom Bombadil was not an ancient god of river peoples, although he was married to the daughter of the river. It's this kind of careless attention to details that leads Michigan to debacles like last Saturday.

Omameh looks so different from the dancing bear who repeatedly got to the second level and pancaked the likes of Manti T'eo last year. So different, in fact, I'm tempted to think he has a lower-body injury no one's telling us about -- but then I remember that the starting RG spot was, according to the coaches, a toss-up even near the end of fall camp. I could understand if Omameh was having trouble as a pulling guard b/c he lacks the brawn for MANBALL power blocking, but I'm amazed that the real issue seems to be his feet/agility.

Meanwhile, Schofield continues to impress. If Barnum ever gets healthy again, Schofield should start over whomever among Omameh/Barnum/Huyge the coaches believe is the biggest liabilty. Barnum hasn't made much of an impression on me when he's played, but my vote would be for Huyge -- good kid, but his limited athleticism becomes a glaring weakness in pass protection against teams with decent-or-better edge rushers.

Finally, re: the snap count jumping stuff -- why the hell does this kind of coaching failture always happen to us in the MSU and OSU games? Going back to the later-Carr era, I cannot recall a single game against these opponents where UM could say, "our coaches outsmarted theirs today," regardless of the final score. Seems like they are always more prepared than we are, and always have some new playcall or scheme that catches us with our pants down.

[Also -- why no "Fitz"/diamond formation in this game? Especially w/the wind and passing game problems, and State's hyper-aggressive LBs, that could have been useful. Argh...

What's kind of baffled me is, if Omameh is proving to be such a liability at pulling, why not swap the guards? That way you can run power behind Lewan with Barnum/Schoefield pulling around and Omameh downblock, or you can run non-pulling plays like isos and zones, also behind Lewan, without exposing anyone. We would be unbalanced, sure, but we would also be destroying some donkeys.

I'm not quite despondent enough to fit in with a lot of the other commentors. I'm not a football coach (at least not a U.S. football coach!) and consequently may be missing out on some finer points, but - the poor second-half showing aside* - things just don't seem that bad.

First, the UFR doesn't mention the wind much, but I think the wind tunnel conditions were a major factor with respect to Denard's bad passing day. It won't be that windy often, and those rare times it is, Michigan won't always be playing against a stout defense. Denard's only halfway through his second year as a starter, and it's reasonable to believe he'll continue to improve.

Second, isn't this where our most optimistic season previews had Michigan? The offense taking a step back, the defense taking several steps forward, and some of the special teams frustration melting away. I hate that Michigan lost this game (especially with the tomfoolery (hah!) going with Gholston and Rush). But I'm a lot happier with where Michigan is and its prospects after seven games than I thought I'd be.

Third, Michigan barely scraped by against NDU, and the other teams Michigan's played have not been particularly strong. So while I like the 6-1 record, it's got a bit of a fools' gold feeling to it. It seems we're on course for an 8 to 10 win Michigan season, and after the past few years I can live with that.

OK - off to the medical supply store to buy more nitrous oxide!

*I recognize that the "poor second-half showing aside" comment has some "apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the show" elements to it.

Your reply makes me wonder if I unwittingly implied that I view an 8-win season as the functional equivalent of a 10-win season. Or that an 8-win season would be a success with 5 games yet to play. Sorry if that's how my comment comes off.

My point is that, loss to MSU notwithstanding, our long national nightmare appears to be over and overall Michigan seems to be on the right track. I'm thrilled to see the team at 6-1, and the MSU loss (and Denard's passing follies) only harshed my buzz temporarily.

FWIW, I think it's possible that Michigan could have an 11-win season without too much improvement, considering that each of Michigan's upcoming opponents seem to have their own basket of issues. In fact, I think I saw The Mathlete predicting 10 wins as the most likely outcome. When you rack up the expected values, 8 games seems like a floor for this team. I wouldn't have said that after Spring Practice, and I can live with an 8 game floor given the talent that's coming in next year and beyond.

Under the college rules: Forward progress is a term indicating the end of advancement by the runner or airborne pass receiver of either team and applies to the position of the ball when it became dead by rule. (NCAA Rule 2-8-2). Hence, the reference point is the ball. Officials must note the position of the ball when the runner or airborne receiver is no longer moving forward.

Receiver A1 leaps vertically at B's 40 to make a catch. He is contacted while airborne by B1, causing him to come down with the ball at B's 42.
A1 leapt vertically, and the contact by B1 drove him backward. The receiver is entitled to the yardage he had gained prior to the contact, so the ball will be spotted at B's 40.

Though it appears to contract the NCAA rule that I cited above, NCAA Rule 5-1-3-a says:

The most forward point of the ball when declared dead between the end lines shall be the determining point in measuring distance gained or lost by either team during any down. The ball always shall be placed with its length axis parallel to the sideline before measuring (A.R. 8-2-1-I-III) (Exception: When an airborne pass receiver of either team completes a catch inbounds after an opponent has driven him backward and the ball is declared dead at the spot of the catch, the forward progress is where the player received the ball). (* .".. ...... ....

The problem is that Gallon isn't leaping vertically. He seems to be moving back toward the line of scrimmage before the State defender even touches him.

I have a hard time being too upset with the spot. I can argue that as you are implying that the defender drove him back and thus we should have been given possession at the spot of the catch. But I can just as easily argue that his backward momentum was of his own making and the proper spot was where the ball was when he was down. I'm not sure there's a right answer.

I agree that it's Gallon's momentum bringing him back and not the defender pushing him back. So in that case, isn't it where the ball is when he gets a foot down? It seems to me that the spot should be closer to the yellow line than where the official put his foot, if not on it. Whether that's actually enough for a first down is another question.

If he's going backward on his own momentum and because of a defender, though, I think you'd end up with the same sort of judgment call that you'd use to decide whether a receiver would have come down inbounds on his own momentum but for being pushed out by a defender (as the NFL does, I believe).

Lets take the defender out the equation for the moment. If Gallon leaps, catches the ball, lands and falls back toward the line of scrimmage, the spot is where the ball is when Gallon's knee/arm/etc. touches the ground. That same ruling applies unless the defender is the one pushing him back.

My first impression was that the defender wasn't carrying Gallon back and any contact did not cause the momentum, making the spot correct. I also would have agreed with a spot where the official ruled that as Gallon completed the catch upon landing, he was trying to halt his backward momentum, making the spot where the ball was at that moment. It's a bang-bang call and a tough one.

running the ball would have just meant a lot of runs for losses and potentially a more beaten down DROB. Looks like the coaches should have made adjustment to the snap count based on last years game and the first half of this years game. If we could have countered their blitzing we would have better runs and a higher completion percentage by DROB! I think we would have won this game. I see MSU being only a middle of the pack B1G team that gets whipped up into a frenzy by their coach when playing us.

I feel even more down heading into the weekend after reading the ufr and with no Michigan football to get me up. I still have confidence in the coaching staff and I know we'll play well through the remainder of the season. Though, there will be several close games and I hope we come out on top for most of them! I think we'll go 9-3. Losses to IA and NE. Wins against Purdue, IL and OSU!!!!